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Maria H

Now that I have my documents I will go back home more often. Once my kids are out on vacation, I plan to go with one or two of them. I want to be back in that peaceful place. I imagine I am there, kneeling down washing my clothes in the river, although there is no water in this picture, but I was imagining it because that’s how it used to be.

I felt like taking this photo that evening that I was eating for the first time at a buffet in the casino. In Mexico, when would you ever eat these luxury foods? Well, every once in a while you have to treat yourself.

Well, I’m from over there… but, we’re here for many different reasons, some in search of a better life, others we are here for from our families. I have a son that I can’t leave. I have him in a hospital due to an accident that he had, so I cannot go and leave him behind. If it was not for that I would have never left my children and my family, but my son was already here in the US and then he had an accident. That is why I am here.

This landscape brings me memories of the peaceful place I used to live in. You desire to be there in that tranquility, no noise from anything, only the roosters, the dogs barking, the chickens cackling, the sheep, the cows, the burros... We would go wash to the river, and we’d look for a rock like that to wash. I imagine that I am there, kneeling down washing clothes in the river, although there is no water here in the picture, but I was imagining it.

This photo is at the job that I have right now, I work in this house every week on Sundays. I really like that it is secure, every week I know I will work there for the day. There are a lot of antiques in the house. I took this photo, and when I saw it I really liked it.

I was at the bus stop, and the airplane passed by. I remembered that after 20 years of not going to Mexico, in June of last year I went to Mexico. So when I see airplanes I feel like I’m in there going once again, and I start to cry. Every time I see one, I wish I was arriving once again in Mexico. You know what it feels like go to visit family. I now have my residency, thank God, so I am able to go back and see them.

This is the eldest of my brothers and my sister in law with the four nephews, the family. It had been almost 30 years since I had last seen them. Many years. They uploaded that photo to Facebook, and so I took it. They had a big meal with seafood, with very large mojarras, ceviche, shrimp… he enjoys it with his family, they come together to eat. I see them and I imagine that I am there with them. Even though I am here, I feel like I am there among them.

My daughters were born and raised here. It’s a different culture. They don’t know their other brothers and sisters who live in Mexico. They say “Yes, yes mom, they are your children and they are over there in Mexico.” I say “daughter, call your sister,” and they say, “nah, why… I really don’t know her.” Can you believe that? Because some of them don’t know them in person, and well, it’s difficult for me to convince them.

Well that is me, but that was many years ago… So many that the photo is even blurred. I appreciate my time, my life, the way that I have lived it. Even though I am a single mother, I have lived my life with my children, which are the most important thing for me, and for most moms, I think. Our children are most important. I was pregnant in that picture with one of my children. I really like that picture. I love myself- if I don’t love myself, who will love me?

This represents my breakfast, because we come here to Casa Latina and we leave with no work, then we go to this place and we have breakfast, a bowl of oatmeal, some juice, a doughnut, something to start the day with breakfast. We arrive there, we ask for a ticket, and we go have breakfast. They’ve also told us that we can come during the mid-day and have a meal.